Impressions of daily life in Japan
When walking around in Kyoto, foreign tourists will often be very excited when they spot 'a real-life Japanese geisha'! Indeed when walking around the area near Kiyomizu-dera temple, one often sees groups of young girls dressed in bright kimonos. What most tourists probably don't know is that these girls are not geisha, but dressed-up tourists... Continue Reading →
The school year in Japan starts in April, rather than in September as it does in Europe. Most kids have one or two weeks of holiday before the start of the new school year. All through the month of March, children and parents are busy with graduation ceremonies. There are lots of ceremonies to be... Continue Reading →
March 3rd was 'Hina Matsuri' or 'Girl's Day'. On this day, all families with a daughter display a set of traditional Japanese dolls in their house. But apparently the habit isn't limited to people with daughters. Ever since early February, I have encountered these 'hina dolls' ('hina' is the japanese word for doll) everywhere I... Continue Reading →
One of my favourite things to do in Japan is playing dress up in kimono. And it's not only for women. Men can also look very dashing in a traditional kimono coat and 'hakama' (formal pants). Quite a change from the guys in yukata that you could see in a previous blog post, don't you... Continue Reading →
Winter in Japan seems to provide me with endless inspiration for this blog. One of the things that keeps amazing me is how lightly some Japanese people dress, despite a freezing cold outside. It is not uncommon to see people walking around without a coat, without gloves or in open shoes without socks while it... Continue Reading →
During the summer festivals it is customary to wear a summer kimono, called 'yukata'. The past few years this old custom has regained popularity among young people. Oftentimes they give their own twist to the look. Like these four guys, doing their best to look badass:
The Japans 